Chris Anderson's training log V. 2.0-- Tom Kallas is a dead man

Chris Anderson wrote:

Crossing over to the dark side today. So long, folks.

So you will have an empire under your control... Oh, weight...

3/17-

The Day I Went To the Dark Side

Squat-
135x5
225x3
belt on
275x3
275x3
315x3
briefs on
315x3
315x3
365x3
suit on, straps down
315x3
315x3
365x3
405x3
455x1
straps up
475x1
495x1
525x1
545x1

GHRs- 5x10
DB rows- a bunch

Notes: This was my first time in a squat suit. Everything was unwrapped with TK knee sleeves. I used Inzer HD groove briefs and an EliteFTS V-Type squat suit. With wraps and actually trying hard, I could probably hit around 650.

This was supposed to be a light unwrapped, unbelted squat day. So much for that.

Video:

So you hit 3 PRs today:

Brief PR
Brief + Suit w/o straps PR
Brief + Suit w/ straps PR

But fo realz, nice job today. You adapted to the gear very well

dat concentric speed.... Real talk, that was ridiculously impressive for just being introduced to the gear


Still waiting on burpee video.

That will be uploaded tomorrow. I kinda want to do a video with the suit, though.

SSchwartsenator wrote:

Still waiting on burpee video.

I did see multiple burpees happen with the briefs... Twas most impressive

I just threw up in my mouth.

Brometheus wrote:

So you hit 3 PRs today:

Brief PR
Brief + Suit w/o straps PR
Brief + Suit w/ straps PR

But fo realz, nice job today. You adapted to the gear very well

Also burpees w/briefs PR

3/18-

Swolov intense mesocycle, W2D2

Bench-
200x3
230x3
260x3
3x3@275
290x3

Some rows machine- some
Some lat pulldown machine- some
Single arm DB press- some

Notes: I set up really really high on the bench and I hit the j-hooks on my last two reps of 290. Still, I got the reps in and 290x3 is actually a PR. Then it was just some stuff for accessory work.

Video:

Gutsy third rep. Repped for bench-or-die. Also, a little narrower and you'd have the ideal grip width.

You mean like this?

3/20-

Wrapped squat, intense block W2

Squat-
135x3
225x3
275x3
belt on
315x3
355x5
385x2
wraps on
405x2
430x4
430x4

SSB squat-
3x5@320

GHR- 3x10
Belt walk thingies- some

Notes: First session in my new wraps today. Having the extra .5m helps as I can get an extra two rotations or so and really lock the wrap in. 430 wasn't too difficult at all. I'm definitely stronger than I was my last cycle, and wrapping each week and getting used to heavy weights helps a lot. SSB squats were challenging, as usual.

Video to come.

3/22-

Deadlift intense block, W2

Deadlift-
135x5
225x5
315x5
385x3
425x2
455x2
2x4@480
3x3@405

Deficit pulls-
2x8@315

Leg press- a lot

Notes: Just got a lot of hard work in today. I really gotta build up my deadlift. It's the only lift lagging behind for a 1400 total. Right now I'm probably looking at around 551 for a third (again) and I need to get 568. A meet environment and a deadlift bar will help some, but I have to have no doubt in my mind about what I can pull.


Yesterday, I benched and my elbow was fine up until 231. On 262, I got about halfway down and I knew I didn't want to go any further so I racked it. It's starting to be achy and sore even while not lifting, which has never happened before. I'm icing and using ibuprofen pretty aggressively. I'm planning on taking a deload this week. I'm probably going to take my next two bench days (Sunday and Tuesday) almost completely off of pressing work, and things should be good to go on Friday.

If I feel really good on Tuesday, I'll try to borrow Kyle's slingshot and do my normal weights with that to take the strain off the elbow. I just have to balance being healthy for the meet and working my way towards 330. In all honesty, at full health, I probably have a good shot at 330 already, so I don't think I'm going to hurt myself by waiting until Friday to bench again.

Just found out John Haack isn't doing the UPA meet in April. Goddamit, I was looking forward to being out-totaled by 250lb.

First iteration of my planned attempts:

Squat: 452-484-501

452 is one step above my opener from last time, and 484 is one step above my second attempt from last time. My squat training has been going well and 484 will be a meet PR for me. 479 was easy last meet, and I have no reason to not be able to squat 501 this time around. The only way I go past 501 for my third is if 484 jumps off my back.

Bench: 298-314-330

298 is just below my all-time PR, but that's just how much stronger I've become on bench. I hit an easy 315 in training, and just barely missed 325. As long as I can avoid setbacks with my elbow and survive the rest of this cycle (i.e. just don't do stupid shit and listen to my body), 330 will be a makeable attempt. I will play this mostly by feel on meet day. As of right now, if my elbow was completely healthy, I think I could bench 330. I got 290x3 without a liftoff the other day, and I'm getting better at actually straining through a lift, a quality I've lacked for years.

Deadlift: 513-551-568

551 is my meet best, and I was about one inch away from locking it out at last meet, despite a really sub-par training cycle for the lift. These attempts, again, will be mostly by feel (and even moreso by what I need to lift for a total).

Total for all second attempts: 1349 (I believe it will actually be 1350, and this is the lowest total I could walk away happy with).

Total for all third attempts: 1399 (again, I believe this will actually be 1400). 1396 is Elite according to most standards that I've seen, and I know I'm capable of it. I just have to keep fighting for it.

The only lift I'm not really confident in, right now, is the 568 deadlift. My current strength level is about 550, but I know I can get a boost out of a deadlift bar and a meet environment, along with deloading before the meet. Still, I cannot rely on that to help me and I need to get stronger on the lift.


This plan will get tweaked after just about every heavy session I have as I get a better feel on how I am with heavier weights. All suggestions are welcome.

3/23-

Back/bi's

Barbell rows (everything in kg)-
20x10
40x10
50x10
60x10
72.5x10
90x10
100x5
4x5@110
80x15
60x20

Band pull-aparts- x20, supersetted with rows until 90kg
DB curlz- a lot, up to 40s

Shrugs-
60x10
100x10
130x10
170x5
3x3@190
140x10
120x20

Barbell curlz- 20x70, 20x30

Notes: Today was supposed to be a bench day, but I gotta take some time off of pressing work to let me elbow recover and finish out this training cycle without exploding. So, I just did some various pulling work. Rows and shrugs were mostly done with a fair amount of body english, but I kept some of it pretty strict as well. Once I finish up my next meet and move to a more continuous, non-peaking style of training (a la 5/3/1), this type of day will be done once a week or so to build up my weaknesses as I cut down on the frequency a bit.

Deadlifts from Saturday. God, my pull is so bad.

3/24-

Medium unwrapped squat, intense block W3

Squat-
135x5
135x5
185x3
225x3
275x3
315x3
3x3@335

Notes: Felt kinda "off" today so I just called it a day after squatting. Nothing really felt right and I have a fair amount of schoolwork to do, so I just came home.

I think I've pinpointed the source of my elbow problems down to my brachioradialis. Fuck this thing is tight and sore. May have to find an ART massage therapist or something. However, the elbow is feeling better today and with one more day of rest, I should be able to bench tomorrow.

3/25-

Swolov, W3D2

Bench-
45x5
95x5
135x5
155x5
175x3
205x3
235x3
260x1
2x3@280- last rep paused

Some lat machine- 3x8
Overhead band tricep extension- 5x15

Notes: Holy shit my elbow feels good for the first time in forever. Who knew that actually treating the body parts that hurt and taking time off when you need it is good for you? Anyway, I just picked up where I would have been had I not missed any days (I only missed one day and cut the session before that early). I also lowered the training max a bit because I don't want to sacrifice myself to Brodin for the sake of a big bench.

This was a good session overall and I am very happy with everything. I just need to finish this cycle strong and once I take a deload before the meet, my strength should fly up on the supercompensation.

Video to come.

You keep ragging on your deadlift and how you need to improve it, but I think with a solid elbow and proper programming, the sky is the limit for your bench (or whatever Ed Coan says you're good for).


But real talk, I'm excited for you to keep improving on this lift specifically. Be the beacon of hope that this club desperately requires. Show us that we too can escape the rack, and dominate the supine press. Oh prince of the padded platform, you may not the bencher this club deserves, but you are the bencher this club needs.

That was beautiful. Was that James Joyce?

Chris Anderson wrote:

That was beautiful. Was that James Joyce?

Wasnt it commisioner gordon from dark knight?

DYEDarkKnight?